Electronic shark deterrent apparatus for use on watercraft and boards

ABSTRACT

An electronic shark deterrent apparatus for use on watercraft, such as canoes, surfskis, kayaks, surfboards, paddleboards, or other devices used in ocean water, which produces electrical pulses that are passed through seawater to produce an electrical current in a field-like pattern. The apparatus consists of an electronic unit ( 50 ), electrodes ( 30, 31 ) and connections ( 20, 21 ). Portions of the connections and the electrodes that attach below the waterline of a watercraft, board, or other device used in ocean water and are less than or equal to 2 millimeters thick in order to eliminate perceptible drag and do not require significant modification to the watercraft, board, or other device used in ocean or seawater.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 61/935,325, filed Feb. 3, 2014 by the present inventor.

BACKGROUND

The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant:

U.S. Patents

Patent Number Issue Date Patentee 3,164,774 Jan. 5, 1965 Hicks 3,683,280 Aug. 8, 1972 Holt 3,822,403 Jul. 2, 1974 Coleman 5,566,643 Oct. 22, 1996 Charter 7,412,944 Aug. 19, 2008 Wescombe-Down 7,924,165 Aug. 12, 2011 Vinano 8,456,310 Jun. 4, 2013 Becker

U.S. Patent Application Documents

Publication Nr. Publ. Date Applicant 20030051674 Mar. 20, 2003 Leblanc 20110174235 Jul. 21, 2011 Vinano; Wilson; et al.

This relates to an apparatus for deterring sharks from a watercraft, such as a canoe, kayak, surfski, surfboard, paddleboard, or other device used in water. It has long been known that sending electrical pulses through water will create an electrical current that can deter sharks. This requires two or more electrodes to be in contact with the water, spaced sufficiently apart.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,164,774 (Hicks), U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,280 (Holt), U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,403 (Coleman), U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,643 (Charter), and U.S. Pat. Application 20030051674 describe devices for repelling sharks using electrical pulses, but do not address how the device or its electrodes may be mounted to a surfboard or other watercraft.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,412,944 to Wescombe-Down (2008) describes a cord holding the electrodes that is then dangled or dragged through the water. When not at rest, this will cause perceptible hydrodynamic drag. Users also find the cord to be annoying. Additionally, because the cord is dragged behind the user, this deters attacks from behind, and may not adequately address attacks from the side, which are nearly as common as attacks from behind, nor does it deter attacks as effectively from the front.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,924,165 to Vinano, Jr., et al. (2011) shows a specification for the pulse pattern and a manner in which those pulses are produced, however, it does not address the issue of eliminating perceptible drag when not at rest. While it may be suited for swimming, in its current embodiment, U.S. Pat. Application 20110174235 to Vinano et al. (2011), manufactured as the Electronic Shark Defense System, the device is worn around the ankle. This only allows for minimal separation of space between the electrodes, so the electrical current field will be reduced in size. Additionally, it can only work on a surfboard or watercraft while at rest, when the user's ankle is below the water. While paddling in a prone position, the ankles of surfers and paddleboarders are not in contact with the water. The ankles of canoe, kayak, and standup paddleboarders are not in contact with the water.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,456,310 to Becker (2013) shows two connected devices that are entirely below the waterline, installed on the underside of a surfboard or watercraft. The housing that is installed on the underside of the surfboard contains the device circuitry and power source, therefore it must be of a thickness that, if mounted to the surface, causes significant perceptible drag, and if embedded in the surfboard or watercraft requires creation of a large cavity that would require significant modification to the surfboard or watercraft, particularly the bottom of the surfboard or watercraft, which is highly undesirable to users.

In conclusion, no electronic shark deterrent formerly developed is able to send an electrical current through the water without causing perceptible drag on a board or watercraft, or requiring significant modification to the board or watercraft.

SUMMARY

An electronic shark deterrent for use on watercraft, such as canoes, surfskis, kayaks, surfboards, paddleboards, or other devices used in water, which produces electrical pulses that are passed through water to produce an electrical current in a field-like pattern. Electrodes and connections between the electrodes that are below the waterline attach to a watercraft, board, or other device used in ocean water and are less than 2 millimeters thick in order to eliminate perceptible drag and do not require significant modification to the watercraft, board, or other device used in ocean water.

Advantages

Accordingly several advantages of one or more aspects is that sharks can be deterred from a board or watercraft without causing perceptible drag, without requiring significant modification to the board or watercraft, and without causing annoyance to the user.

DRAWINGS Figures

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of the apparatus mounted to a watercraft, showing portions of the apparatus located below the waterline.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus mounted to a watercraft.

FIG. 3 shows a cross section of the connector that connects the electronic unit to the electrodes.

DRAWINGS Reference Numerals

-   -   10—Example watercraft that the apparatus may be installed on     -   20—Connector     -   21—Connector     -   30—Electrode     -   31—Electrode     -   50—Electronic unit     -   61—Conductive layer of connector     -   62—Insulating layer of connector DESCRIPTION

The word “exemplary” is used exclusively herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

The phrase “board or watercraft” is used to describe the object the apparatus can be installed and used on for exemplary purposes, however, the apparatus can be installed and used on other devices or objects used in ocean water or seawater and is not limited to use on boards or watercraft.

FIG. 1 illustrates a view of the portion of the apparatus attached below the waterline of a watercraft 10 which may be a canoe, kayak, surfski, surfboard, paddleboard, or other type of watercraft or object used in ocean water or seawater, as seen from the bottom. FIG. 2 illustrates a view of portions of the apparatus located both above and below the waterline as seen from the side.

Electrodes 30, 31 are a conductive material less than 2 millimeters thick. In the first embodiment, the electrodes are made of a flat, solid material, that is flexible enough to conform to the shape of the board or watercraft, and that adheres or attaches to the watercraft below the waterline. I contemplate the use of copper or aluminum conductive tape, or conductive acrylic such as 3M eCap acrylic tape, but other conductive materials are suitable. In the second embodiment, the electrodes are applied as a liquid which then dries or hardens. I contemplate the use of conductive paint or conductive adhesive, but other conductive materials are suitable.

Said electrodes may be circular, rectangular, or any other suitable shape. The apparatus includes two or more electrodes.

The apparatus has an electronic unit 50, which contains electronics to send electrical pulses to the electrodes, and a power source to provide electricity, which may be contained in the electronic unit. I contemplate that the power source could be a battery, capacitor or set of capacitors, or solar cells, but other power sources may be suitable.

The apparatus has connections 20, 21 that connect the electrodes to the electronic unit 50.

FIG. 3 shows the connections in cross-section. The connections consist of an electrically conductive layer 61 isolated from the water with an electrically insulating layer 62 with portions below the waterline being less than 2 millimeters thick.

In the first embodiment, the conductive layer of the connections is made of a flat, solid material, that is flexible enough to conform to the shape of the watercraft, that adheres or attaches to the watercraft or is contained within the insulating layer. I contemplate the use of aluminum, copper, or acrylic conductive tape, but other conductive materials are suitable. In the second embodiment, the conductive layer of the connections is made of a material that can be applied as a liquid which then dries or hardens after application. I contemplate the use of conductive paint or conductive adhesive, but other conductive materials are suitable.

In the first embodiment, the insulating layer of the connections is made of a flat, solid material that is flexible to conform to the shape of the watercraft and that adheres or attaches to the board or watercraft outside of the conductive layer, insulating the conductive layer from water. I contemplate the use of adhesive vinyl, but other electrically insulating materials are suitable. In the second embodiment, the insulating layer is made of a material that can be applied as a liquid, which then dries or hardens as after application.

Electrical pulses are sent from the electronics unit to the electrodes by applying an electrical current to the connections.

The electronic unit can detect when the electrodes are in contact with water. When the electrodes are not in contact with water, electrical pulses are not sent to the electrodes. When the electronics unit detects that the electrodes are in contact with water, it resumes sending electrical pulses to the electrodes. I contemplate that the electronic unit will detect when the electrodes are not in contact with the water by sensing when the resistance between electrodes is not consistent with seawater, but other methods are suitable.

The electronic unit contains a low power mode. The electronics in the electronics unit will detect when the power source is low on power, and reduce the pulse frequency, pulse duration or pulse power. I contemplate that a voltage sensor could be used to detect low power, but other methods of detecting low power are suitable. The low power mode may also be selectable by the user, such as with a switch, button, or other suitable user interface.

The electronic unit contains a boost mode, which can be selected by the user, such as with a switch, button, or other suitable user interface. When the boost mode is enabled, the pulse frequency, pulse duration, or pulse power is increased.

Operation

In normal Operation, the apparatus is mounted or installed on a board or watercraft. A user turns the electronic unit on when shark deterrence is desired by the user. The user can activate the boost mode if they believe a shark is nearby. When the electronic unit is turned on and connected to the electrodes, and the electrodes are in contact with the seawater, electrical current is passed through the electrodes, causing the electrical current to be passed into the surrounding water in a field-like pattern.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

Thus the reader will see that the shark deterrent apparatus provides a means of deterring sharks that does not cause perceptible drag or require significant modification to a board or watercraft.

While the above description contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather as an exemplification of one or more embodiments thereof. Other variations are possible. For example, the electronic unit could be located inside of the board or watercraft, with electrode connectors extending out of the board watercraft that may require only small holes through the outside of the board or watercraft. As another example, the connectors or electrodes could be built into the board or watercraft at the time of construction, requiring minimal or no modification to the original design of the board or watercraft.

Accordingly, the scope should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. 

1. A shark deterrent apparatus comprising: an electronic unit that can be attached to a watercraft or board, connected to two or more electrodes, whereby said electrodes are attached below the waterline to a watercraft, board, or other object used in ocean or seawater, whereby the electrodes have a thickness of less than or equal to 2 millimeters, whereby said electronic unit sends pulses of electrical current through said electrodes in order to pass an electrical current through the water.
 2. The shark deterrent apparatus of claim 1 wherein portions of connections between the electronic unit and the electrodes that are attached below the waterline have a thickness of less than or equal to 2 millimeters.
 3. The shark deterrent apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic unit can be attached to the surface of the watercraft, board, or other object used in ocean or seawater.
 4. The shark deterrent apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic unit detects when the electrodes are not in contact with water, and does not send pulses of electricity to the electrodes when the electrodes are not in contact with water.
 5. The shark deterrent apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic unit detects when the electrodes are in contact with water, and sends pulses of electricity to the electrodes when the electrodes are in contact with water.
 6. The shark deterrent apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic unit has a low power mode whereby the pulse frequency, pulse duration, or pulse power can be reduced.
 7. The shark deterrent apparatus of claim 6 wherein the low power mode is selected by the user.
 8. The shark deterrent apparatus of claim 6 wherein the low power mode is selected automatically by the electronic unit when the electronic unit detects that available power is limited.
 9. The shark deterrent apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic unit has a boost mode, whereby the pulse frequency, pulse duration, or pulse power is increased.
 10. The shark deterrent apparatus of claim 9 whereby the boost mode is selected by the user. 